Life is Bountiful
by GreatSnapper
Summary: AU. The harvest season draws to a close, and Rin does her part to help her tiny farming village prepare for the winter. But as the Harvest Festival approaches her life takes a bizarre turn. Falling in love for the first time is a right of passage for a young woman, but sometimes it isn't so straightforward. RinPana with a twist.
1. A Glimpse of Beauty

"Rin! Hurry up, we're almost finished!"

"Coming! I've only got two lines left!"

"Well hurry up! That's the last field left! We've got the celebration tonight!"

"You guys go get cleaned up and I'll finish up here! But don't you dare start celebrating without me!"

"Okay, but if you take too long we're going to leave you with nothing but cold water!"

Rin laughed and waved at the group of girls as they made their way towards the mill, each of them carrying a large bundle of cut rice stalks on their shoulders, ready for threshing.

The afternoon sun beat down on her from just above the treeline, pale gold as it transitioned into evening. She stood and stretched, her back aching. A full day in the fields was hard work, especially when the harvest had been as bountiful as it was this year. The whole village had been working non-stop since harvest season began, but it looked like they were finally about to wrap up.

"Guess I better finish up too. Alright, let's show this rice who's boss!" She wiped the sweat from her brow and with a grin set to work hacking the rest of the stalks down. The small sickle in her hand was a familiar weight now, almost a comfort. Muscles tightened in her arm and shoulder as she went through the practiced motions, leaving a trail of severed stalks in her wake.

She moved methodically down the last line, ignoring the growing strain in her back and shoulders. This was the last of it. After this, the harvest would be done for the season and they could enjoy the festival celebrating the season's yield and thanking their Lady for her blessings. And maybe she could convince Maki to give her a massage. She rolled her neck, the tight muscles protesting. Yeah, that would be good.

Other villagers walked by the field as she finished up, some of them calling to her as they did. She waved to each of them in turn. They all carried their own bundles, and Rin worked faster.

The sun dipped below the trees as she neared the end of the final row and when she finally cut through the last swath of stalks she hopped up and down, letting out a cheer.

"Yes! That's it! This year's harvest is officially complete!"

"Well, maybe for you, but some of us still have to get this stuff threshed and through the mills, Rin."

"Wah!" Rin spun, nearly dropping her sickle in the process. "Umi! What are you doing here?"

The blue-haired girl was standing next to a pile of chopped rice stalks, hands on her hips and a small smile on her face. "I heard you were almost done, so I thought I'd come make sure you weren't overdoing it. Are you feeling alright?"

A touch of heat rose to Rin's cheeks and she chuckled. Umi must have been behind her gathering up the stalks for a while now, but she hadn't even noticed. "Ah, yeah, I'm fine. I was only sick for a little while you know! I'm totally back to one-hundred percent! Honest, it wasn't even that bad."

Umi quirked an eyebrow. "Rin, you were were in bed for a week with the highest fever Healer Touya has seen since the plague. I'd hardly call that "not that bad," would you?"

Rin dug her toe into the dirt. Well, when she put it _that_ way, sure it sounded pretty bad. But it wasn't like she'd wanted to get sick! Harvest season was her favorite time of year, and she'd hated being stuck in bed while all her friends were out working hard so that they'd have enough food for winter. The last thing she'd wanted was to be a burden, but she'd made half the village take care of her for a whole week while the other half picked up her slack in the fields.

She was interrupted from her thoughts by a cool hand against her forehead, and she looked up, startled, at a frowning Umi. "Honestly, Rin. You push yourself too hard sometimes. It makes the rest of us worry."

"Ah…" Rin wasn't quite sure what she should say to that. "Sorry, Umi."

Umi pulled her hand away and smiled. "No need to apologize. I've known you since we were kids. You've always pushed yourself to be as good as you can be. I've always admired that about you." Her face turned more serious and her voice took on a scolding tone. "But that doesn't mean I want you working yourself into the ground, you hear me? If I find you passed out in the field again I'm going to drag you into the woods and leave you there, understand?"

Rin couldn't help but laugh. She tossed her sickle aside and pulled Umi into a tight hug. "Umiiiii you're so sweet! Thank you for caring about me! Honestly, I don't know what I would do without you."

Umi struggled to extricate herself but Rin held firm and eventually she relaxed into the embrace. "I imagine you would have collapsed in a ditch somewhere. But just remember to take care of yourself, okay?"

"Okay, I will. Sorry."

"I already told you, don't apologize." Umi pulled away, smiling again. "Now, what do you say we get this over to the mill? The sun will be going down soon and I heard something about a celebration?"

"Oh!" She'd nearly forgotten. "Dang, if I don't hurry I'm going to have to take a cold bath!"

"A true nightmare. Come on, let's go."

They gathered up the last of the cut rice stalks as the sun disappeared over the treetops, and by the time they'd made it to the mill the edge of the sky had begun to turn purple.

Rin turned back to look out over the fields, an indescribable feeling in her chest. They stretched off into the foothills, following the winding dirt path that bisected her little corner of the world. Trees rose up against the edges of the fields, creating a forbidding barrier between them and the wildness beyond. An intense feeling of contentment welled up in her as she gazed at the fully cleared fields, the last stragglers ambling up the road with golden rice stalks carried on their backs.

There was something magical about the harvest, and she couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. Her back and shoulders ached, and she was certain her face was as tanned as a hide by now, but she didn't mind. That was simply the price she paid to be part of something incredible.

"Rin?"

"Hm?" She turned back to find Umi staring at her. "Oh, sorry. I was just looking at the fields. I always get a little sad when we finish a harvest, you know?"

Umi shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't follow. We've been breaking our backs for weeks, and we're finally almost done. What's to be sad about?"

"Well…" Rin wasn't quite sure how to describe it. They had food for the winter and could finally relax, but still… there was something else, something she couldn't quite put into words. An emptiness that battled with her sense of satisfaction.

"Ah… nevermind, I guess I don't really know what I mean." She laughed and pushed past Umi into the Mill. "Come on, let's drop these off!"

"Drop them off, huh," Umi grumbled, rolling her eyes and following Rin inside. " _I_ still have to thresh these, you know."

"Oh, right. Sorry, Umi!" Rin laughed and gave her friend a pat on the shoulder. "You'll be there for the celebration though right? I hate to think of you sitting in here all alone while everyone else is off having fun."

"Well, I wouldn't say I'll be alone." Umi dumped the stalks into a giant pile near the thresher, and stretched her arms over her head. "Honoka said she'd help tonight, and I think Nico is in charge of the milling, so I'm sure it will be pretty active."

"Eh? Nico? But didn't she nearly break the mill the last time she was in charge?"

"Yeah…"

They both shuddered at the memory of the diminutive girl's antics. She had some pretty good ideas, but sometimes she didn't know when to leave well enough alone. Rin could still hear her cackling over the sound of splintering wood, echoing in the back of her mind like a phantom.

"A-Anyway, she was put in charge, so I'm sure she knows not to go overboard this time." Umi looked a little green, and Rin thought she sounded entirely unconvinced. "But don't worry, we'll all be at the celebration. We'll finish the rest of the threshing and milling in the morning if we need to."

"Eh? But aren't we starting preparation for the Harvest Festival tomorrow?"

"Well, _you_ certainly are." Umi began to sort through the stalks. She pushed up her sleeves and donned the thick woven apron she always wore in the mill before tying her hair back with a rag. "But the harvest is huge this year. We may have finished the reaping on schedule, but that's just because the mill crew pitched in a bit. Which means we're behind schedule."

"Eeeeeeh? You mean you were out helping too, Umi?"

Umi shook her head, picking out rotten stalks and tossing them aside. "No, I've been here the whole time. I just left earlier because I needed a break and I heard you were still working so I thought I would check on you."

"Well that's not fair! Let me help!"

Rin moved to grab a pile of rice stalks but Umi fixed her with a glare that rooted her to the spot.

"Not so fast, young lady." Rin gulped. Umi was using the tone she had mentally started to refer to as her "mothering voice," though she would never have said that to Umi's face. "I already told you I don't want you overworking yourself, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but Rin will be fine, really!"

"Sure." Umi huffed and stepped forward to poke her in the forehead. Rin yelped and rubbed the spot, pouting. "You know, you only call yourself "Rin" when your excited or when you're lying, and I bet I know which it is right now. And if you collapse, Maki is the one that's going to have to take care of you, right?"

Rin flushed. Thinking of her housemate being forced to take care of her _again_ put a damper on her enthusiasm pretty quickly. Maki never said anything about it, but Rin knew she had been the one who had taken care of her during the worst of her fever, even if she could barely remember it.

"Besides, you don't know the first thing about using any of this equipment, do you?"

Ah. Well, that much was certainly true.

"Well… noooo. But you could teach me?" It came out as a question, and Rin knew she was losing ground.

"I could," Umi replied with a nod. "But tell me, how would me taking time out to teach you how to use the equipment and then watching to make sure you don't hurt yourself make this go any faster?"

Rin blinked. "Uuuuum."

"Exactly."

Umi grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around, pushing her towards the door. "Now, out with you. I don't want to see you at the celebration later without you having taken a bath, and if you don't hurry you're going to have to do it in the river."

"Okay okay, I'm going! Sheesh, Umi. You sure know how to make a girl feel unwelcome."

Sharp knuckles rapped against her forehead and Rin yelped again.

"Don't give me that. I look after you more than anyone, so I don't want to hear you trying to say I never do anything for you, understand?"

"I know, I was just kidding. You know I appreciate it."

Umi's expression softened. "I do. Now go get ready and I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay." Rin stepped out into the cool evening air and turned with a smile. "Thanks again, Umi. I'll see you later!"

With a wave Umi disappeared back inside the mill and Rin took off at a jog down the path leading back towards the village. The roads were clear now and the sky was a dark purple. Torchlight lit the town and behind her light poured from the open windows of the mill, shrinking behind her like a fading beacon in the approaching gloom.

She pulled the scarf from her hair and let the breeze cool her head as she jogged down the dirt path. The weather would turn soon, she could feel it in the air. Within a month, six weeks at most, the first snow would arrive, and then she'd be stuck in the village for four months straight.

The thought was enough to put a damper on her otherwise good mood, and she slowed to a walk. She could appreciate winter. Snow was beautiful, and she always looked forward to waking up to find the whole world coated in white and silence, but after a while she couldn't help but feel shut in. She needed to be outside, doing something, moving around and enjoying the sun. Weeks upon weeks of huddling inside just to keep warm and seeing the sun maybe once a week at best always made her stir crazy.

She smiled. Of course, it was probably just as bad for Maki. She loved winter, but the unfortunate trade-off was that she had to put up with an antsy Rin for days at a time, and even Rin knew that was no small feat. She didn't like to be a bother to her housemate, but sometimes she just couldn't help it.

She crossed the bridge into town, stopping for a moment to watch the fish swimming up the river. She always wondered where they were going. Had they come down from the mountains? Were they going to follow the river all the way to the sea? Honestly, she didn't even know if the river that separated Kosai village from the fields even went all the way to the sea, but she felt like it had to. All rivers had to end somewhere, right?

With a smile she left the fish to their journey, silently wishing them luck, and passed through the center of town. It wasn't the fastest way to the baths, but it was the path she always took as it led her past the statue of the Field Maiden in what passed for a village square. Seeing it always lifted her spirits, and as she passed she gazed up into the wooden face of the girl.

The statue had been there as long as anyone could remember, somehow immune to the weathering of the seasons. No one knew who had carved it originally, but Rin had always thought whoever it was must have been an incredible artist. The depiction of the Maiden was so lifelike, so unlike any other carving she had ever seen, that it almost felt as though she might come to life at any moment. Rin sometimes liked to believe that she might.

Even carved out of wood her face seemed soft and kind. There was a benevolent smile on her face and she was holding a bundle of rice stalks the way one might cradle a child. Her eyes had a strange life to them that made it feel as though she was looking down at you, reassuring you that everything would be okay, and Rin smiled up at her.

"Thank you, Maiden. It's been a wonderful harvest this year." She clapped her hands together and bowed. "Rin is sorry she got sick, but she'll do her best next year!"

There was no response of course, but Rin hadn't been expecting one. With one last look, she set off towards the baths at a jog, her excitement for the evening's festivities returning full force.

By the time she reached the baths the sky was dark and there was no one else there. In the distance, she could hear the preparations for the celebration beginning, and she quickly stripped out of her filthy work clothes and slipped into one of the large basins. The water was lukewarm, much to her chagrin, and it was already brown with dirt. She didn't mind. She always managed to be one of the last ones to bathe anyway, and she knew how much of a pain it was to refill the basins. Getting fresh water for every bath was a luxury no one in the village could really afford, not even the merchants.

She bathed quickly, not wanting to waste anymore time than she had already, and didn't even bother to dry her hair - it was short enough that it would be dry by the time she got home anyway - before quickly wiping herself off, throwing on her clothes, and racing back home. The celebration would be starting soon, and she didn't want to miss a second of it.

"Welcome back."

Rin let the door close behind her and made to tackle her friend in a hug. "Hellooooooo Maki! How was your day?"

Maki sidestepped and pushed Rin towards the wardrobe. "Change first, you're still wearing the clothes you worked in. Honestly, I don't even understand the point of bathing at all if you're just going to put those filthy things back on."

"Awww Maki is so cruel to Rin." Rin laughed and began to strip while searching for something to wear. "You know how forgetful I can be. But hey! You didn't answer my question yet."

"Hmm? Oh." Maki sat on the edge of their bed, glowering at her fingernails. "It was fine. Long, but I got back about an hour ago. I've been waiting for you so we could head to the celebration together. You finished up today, right?"

"Yep!" Rin pulled on a set of linen trousers and a green-dyed shirt, one of the nicer articles of clothing she owned. "Umi helped me carry it to the mill and said she and the others will join us later!"

"That was nice of her. Be sure you thank her, okay?"

"I know, I know. Jeez, Maki, I'm not that dense, you know? I always say thank you!"

Maki made a noncommittal noise, still staring down at her nails. Rin picked up her dirty clothes and tossed them in the overflowing hamper. Laundry was going to have to be done soon. She was certainly not looking forward to that.

"Do you have to work tomorrow too, Maki?"

"No, I'll be off for festival preparations. It's only been studying and clinic work lately anyway, so it's not terribly busy."

Rin flopped back on the mattress next to Maki with a sigh. It was lumpy and uncomfortable, filled as it was with discarded rice stalks, but right now she couldn't have cared less. It always took a little bit for the work of the day to catch up with her, but when it did her entire body felt like she'd been run through one of Umi's threshers.

"Aaaah that's no fair, Maki. You're smart, so you get to work with Healer Touya all day while I'm out breaking my back in the fields. Lucky Maki."

"Excuse me?" Maki shoved her hand under Rin's nose and she recoiled with a yelp.

"Eeew Maki, what the heck is that smell? You reek!"

"It's just a part of being so "lucky," Rin. While you were out in the sun reaping I was up to my elbows in a bucket of pig guts for the better part of the afternoon."

Rin made a face, nose wrinkling in disgust. That wasn't the way she'd pictured Maki's days at all. "Really? What the heck for, that's gross!"

"Master Touya says that I need to be able to differentiate different organs by how they feel if I'm going to take over as the Chief Healer some day." She crossed the room and plopped down in front of their wash basin. With a gusto Rin rarely saw in her reserved friend she began scrubbing her arms with a lumpy brick of soap. "Being a healer's apprentice isn't easy, you know. I have to get up just as early as you, and at least the rice doesn't bleed when you cut it. Besides, I bet _you_ haven't had to lance any of auntie Mia's boils lately, have you?"

An image of the old woman's toothless smile appeared in Rin's head and it was all she could do to keep herself from gagging at the thought of having to deal with _any_ of that old bat's health issues. She was always complaining about something.

"Okay, that's a good point," Rin conceded with a sheepish grin. "I guess I would rather be in the fields all day than have to deal with that."

"I thought you loved harvesting anyway," Maki said, scrubbing until Rin was sure her arms were going to fall off.

"I do! I really do, it's just hard work, you know? I mean, I love being outside and all but even I have my limits." She flexed her hands and winced. "It's gonna take me a week to get the feeling back into my hands."

Maki nodded. "I suppose it has its up and downs. At least the weather held this year. I heard we have a record breaking harvest."

Rin flipped up into cross-legged position, beaming. "Yeah! It's great! When we have the Harvest Festival next week we're going to have to pray extra hard to the Field Maiden. She really graced us with a haul this year. Eli even said she thinks we'll have a surplus, so we can do some trading. We might even be able to get new furs for the winter!"

Maki looked up and smiled faintly, staring out through the window. "That would really be nice. I think we've just about worn out the ones we've got."

Rin snickered. "Awwww Maki, and here I was hoping I'd have an excuse to hold you close this winter. Don't you want to share your body heat with Rin?"

A faint blush appeared on Maki's cheeks and she glared. "We already share a bed you know. What would you call that?"

"Hm? But Rin wants to get reeeeeeeal close to Maki."

The redhead rolled her eyes. "At least twice a week I wake up with you wrapped around me, Rin. I'm not sure we can get much closer than that."

"Oh, Rin can think of a few ways." Rin laughed as Maki's face exploded in red and ducked the bar of soap she hurled across the room.

"Say that again and you're sleeping on the floor!"

"Sorry, sorry, I was just kidding." She leapt up and stretched until her back cracked. "Come on though, let's go! The celebration will be starting soon!"

"Just calm down." Maki dried her arms and gave them a test sniff. She wrinkled her nose and sighed. "Guess there's no helping it. Alright, come on. Let's go."

Rin squealed and grabbed Maki by the hand. She pulled her out the door and into the evening air, ignoring her protests.

"Come on, Maki! Tonight is going to be great!"

* * *

And it was. That night, Rin had more fun than she could remember having in a long time. But even exhausted as she was, when she and Maki returned home she wasn't able to fall asleep.

She tried everything she could think of, but even resorting to her old standby of watching Maki's peaceful face as she slept didn't help. Her body was aching with exhaustion from the day's labors, but her mind wouldn't let her calm down enough to sleep.

The celebration was still fresh in her mind; getting together with all her friends and congratulating each other on all the hard work they'd put in that season had put her in a fantastic mood, and now she couldn't wait to get started on the festival preparations. The celebration was always fun, but it was tiny compared to the festival proper. Merchants came from miles around to peddle their wares, and they always had a great many visitors from the nearby towns. Kosai village was famous in the region for its harvest festival, and Rin loved showing off her home to all the strangers.

But if she couldn't fall asleep, she wouldn't be at one-hundred percent to help out, and that was a problem. The last thing she wanted to do was slow everybody down.

After what must have been an hour of tossing and turning under the scratchy blanket, Rin finally decided that the only solution was fresh air. It had been a while since she'd needed to take one of her late night walks, and Umi would probably scold her for going out at night and risking getting sick again, but the thought of staying in bed a moment longer was intolerable.

Moving carefully so as not to wake Maki, Rin slipped out of bed and pulled on her clothes before slipping on her sandals and quietly exiting their little house.

She took a deep breath, enjoying the cool night air on her skin. The moon was waxing, nearly full, and combined with the stars shining above cast the whole village in a beautiful silver light that felt almost supernatural. It gave the night air an energy that was infectious, and soon Rin was skipping down the road towards the fields.

Rin was a creature of sun and light, but even she could appreciate a night as beautiful as this one. The chirps of nocturnal birds and the calls of insects filled the air, an invisible symphony. The sights and sounds were all so different from what she saw during the day that at times Rin felt as though she had been transported to another world that ran parallel to her own, one with a jewel filled sky and pale, silver sun.

Of course, she knew that wasn't true. Her feet followed the familiar path and her eyes adjusted to the moonlight. This was the same path that she walked every day, the same fields that she worked to sustain her village. Back in those darkened buildings, the same people she talked and laughed with slept. But somehow, it still felt different, and she didn't mind that at all.

She crossed the bridge, the clear water an inky black, and continued on towards the mill. It was dark now, but in just a few hours she knew it would be bustling with activity again. Umi, Honoka, and Nico would be hard at work before the first rays of the sun pierced the eastern sky, preparing the rice that had been so painstakingly cultivated and harvested for storage and trade.

She didn't envy them that. Rin loved the sun, but greeting it as it rose was not on her list of favorite activities.

As she approached the mill, something caught her eye and Rin slowed. She caught movement near the entrance and her brow furrowed in confusion as a girl she'd never seen before walked from the mill towards the fields. She didn't seem to have noticed her, and something stopped Rin from immediately calling out to her.

There was something strange about her. She moved with a grace that seemed almost animal, and her flowing clothes glowed bright in the moonlight. Rin hadn't heard anything, hadn't seen any light coming from the mill, but the girl must have been inside. Where had she come from?

' _Who is she?'_

It was hard to distinguish her features from this distance, but even in the moonlight Rin could make out her chestnut hair and smooth, porcelain skin. She followed at a distance, something in her not wanting to disturb the girl. They weren't supposed to be in the mill at night, and even though she was technically breaking curfew herself, she was sure this girl would be in way more trouble than her if it came down to it. Especially if, as Rin was starting to suspect, she wasn't from the Kosai at all and had come from one of the neighboring villages.

Rin grit her teeth, keeping crouched on the road and following as the girl made her way to the fields. Was she a thief? That was the only reason she could think of for some stranger to be in the mill, but she certainly wasn't dressed like one. Not that she had ever actually seen a thief, but in all the stories they dressed in black and snuck around. This girl stood out like a sore thumb, and besides, she didn't seem to be carrying anything. Why break into the mill if she wasn't going to take anything?

If the girl _was_ a thief, then the smart thing to do would be to head back into town and alert someone. They didn't really have a town guard or anything, but if she started banging on doors, or at least woke up Maki, then she was sure they would be able to drive the intruder away. She didn't look particularly dangerous; from where she was crouched Rin couldn't see any weapons on her. Actually, she seemed completely unencumbered. She could probably drive her away by herself. She could be at the mill in a moment, and she was certain she could find something to use as a weapon there.

But she did none of those things. Seeing an intruder should have set off all sorts of alarm bells, but instead Rin felt a strange sense of peace as she watched the girl. She didn't seem like a threat at all, and the way she walked across the ground was so graceful she practically seemed to be gliding. It was mesmerizing, in a way, and Rin followed, keeping herself out of sight as best she could.

The girl continued down the road, shining in the moonlight, until she came to the fields. By now Rin had managed to close the gap between them to no more than ten meters. Here, the road was raised to allow for flooding of the fields, and she hid herself on the opposite side of the path. What was she up to?

She glanced around, and Rin ducked down, trying to get a look at her face. She still wasn't entirely convinced it wasn't just one of the village girls, and she just didn't recognize her because of her clothes. They were white and flowing, and caught the moonlight in a way that made the fabric seem to glimmer like the inside of a sea shell. No one she knew had anything like that, and it looked terribly expensive. Was it made of silk? If it was it must have cost more than everything Rin owned combined.

Seemingly satisfied, the girl glided down the embankment and into the field. ' _My field,'_ Rin realized. The last field of the season to be harvested.

She strode to the center of the field and stood, gazing up at the sky. She raised her hands up towards the glittering stars and Rin watched, transfixed, as she began to dance.

It began slowly, her arms falling in a graceful loop as she slid to the side. Rin looked down and realized with a start that she was barefoot, and yet from here it looked as though her feet were perfectly clean. She drew up one leg, and lunged forward with all the grace of a deer and let herself fall forward before drawing herself back up, her sleeves trailing after her like ribbons of light.

Over and over she repeated the motions, her body flowing like water, and Rin watched. All thoughts of the girl possibly being a thief or running back to town had evaporated, and in their place a sense of awe had settled. Rin didn't want her to stop. She didn't want anyone else to see the grace and beauty of the girl in the empty field. She just wanted to watch her, to preserve this moment and keep it forever.

A cloud passed over the moon and the field was cast in darkness. The girl kept dancing though, and it took Rin a moment to realize that even without the light of the moon the silvery glow that illuminated the dancer remained.

' _It wasn't the moonlight at all. She's the one that's giving off that light!'_

A gasp escaped her throat and the girl in the field froze. Rin's hands flew to her mouth, eyes wide, but it was too late. The girl was staring right at her, and for the first time Rin was able to get a clear look at her face.

She couldn't have been any older than her, yet her features were far softer than those of any girl Rin had ever seen. Her face was round and reminded her somehow of the moon. She wore a crown of twisted rice stalks and her hair framed her face in such a way that Rin's attention was drawn to her wide, shining eyes. They were a pale purple, a color Rin had never seen before, and once their eyes locked Rin found she couldn't look away.

She was beautiful, so much so that something inside of Rin ached just to look at her, but more than that she realized as she stared at her that she had seen this girl before. She saw her every day.

She was the Field Maiden, the spirit that blessed their fields. She'd seen her likeness in the statue in the center of the village every day for as long as she could remember.

And now here she was, standing in the middle of her field looking just as surprised as Rin felt.

It took several seconds for Rin to convince herself that she wasn't dreaming, and several seconds more to realize that she needed to say something, anything, to the deity that had given them so much. She had to express her thanks, needed to get down on her knees and beg the spirit's forgiveness for spying on her. She had to do _something_ , but she couldn't. All she could do was sit there, crouched behind the road and stare at the girl, struck dumb.

Then she was gone, vanished without so much as a flash to mark her passing, and the spell was broken.

"Hey, w-wait!"

Rin scrambled over the road and tumbled down the embankment on the other side, picking herself up and running to the center of the field, but there was no trace of her. The clouds passed and once again the field was bathed in moonlight, but this time she was alone.

For a long time she simply stood there, hoping, praying that the Maiden would show herself again. But as the minutes dragged on and the moon rose to its zenith, nothing happened. In the distance an owl hooted, and Rin gazed back towards the mill. It was dark and empty, no trace of anyone having ever been there in the first place. The field, too, was bare, save for her own scattered footprints.

With a heavy sigh Rin's shoulders slumped and she began the trek back to the village. Had she simply imagined it? There was no way that was true, right? She'd seen things when she'd been sick with fever, but none of that had ever felt so _real_. It had felt as though she could have reached out and touched the girl, if only she'd been close enough.

Maki was still asleep when she returned and without even bothering to strip out of her clothes Rin slid into bed next to her.

It took her a long time to fall asleep that night, and when she finally did, she dreamt of those pale, purple eyes, staring at her through the darkness.

* * *

A/N: Well then. I'm not really sure where this came from, to be honest. I suppose I can thank Roadmart for getting me started on Love Live (and giving this a read through), and RinPana is simply too cute for me to ignore. Readers of my other work (if they're reading this as well for whatever reason) might find it strange that I like cute, but I do, in fact. It's harder for me to write, but I do enjoy it. For now, we're just trying to establish the setting, but the cute will come, and hopefully in the meantime you're interested enough to read.

Actually, the idea for this came from a poster of harvest Hanayo I saw at an Animate store (the same pic as the cover, in fact). I was rather enthralled by the idea, and as I've been into writing out some of my random story ideas lately I thought I'd give this one a go. Once I started though it practically wrote itself. Hopefully that trend continues.

If you read and enjoyed I hope you'll let me know! I love getting reviews and messages, so please let me know what you thought. I'm always looking to improve, too, so even if you didn't think it was amazing I'd like to hear what I can fix. Thanks again, and see you next time!


	2. Walking on Egg Shells

"Umiiiiiii!"

Rin burst through the doors of the mill, a smile stretched wide across her face. She hopped over stacks of bound rice stalks and piles of discarded husks, searching out her friend in the cramped space.

"Rin?" Umi stood from her thresher and wiped her gloved hands on the heavy leather apron she wore. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be helping with the festival setup?"

"Yeah yeah, soon, but Umi, I saw her! I really did!" She could hardly contain her excitement. She hopped from one foot to the other, a bundle of condensed energy just waiting to unravel and ricochet around the room.

She'd woken up late, only to find that Maki had already left. A note on the nightstand had informed her that she'd decided to let her sleep in on the off chance she was still feeling unwell, but that she hadn't felt like she had a fever. Rin's initial aggravation at being coddled yet again was almost immediately replaced by disappointment in not having anyone to share the incredible experience of the previous night with. She'd almost woken Maki up as soon as she'd gotten back last night, but had been asleep before she could even really consider it.

That disappointment had disappeared as she replayed the events of her late night walk in her head. She'd actually seen her! The Harvest Maiden had visited, had danced in _her_ field! It was almost too much to bear and her excitement had only built as she brushed her teeth and threw on her work clothes. She'd been out the door and dashing down the road to the mill within five minutes of getting out of bed, unable to resist the urge to at least tell someone.

Umi blew a stray strand of hair out of her face. "What are you talking about? Saw who?"

"The Harvest Maiden!"

"Eeeeh? What are you talking about, Rin? And what are you even doing here, you're getting in the way! Move move!"

Rin turned at the voice, grin still etched firmly on her face. "Nico!"

The smaller girl brushed by with a sniff, nudging her with a shoulder but Rin simply giggled. Nico was always a little abrasive, but Rin liked to think that was just her way of showing that she cared. "How ya doing?"

"I would be a lot better if you weren't getting underfoot! We've got a lot of work to do today, and if you're not going to help I would appreciate it if you'd get out." She tossed an armful of shorn stalks on the ever growing pile beside Umi and brushed off her apron before setting Rin with a glare, hands on her hips. "Besides, shouldn't you be helping with the festival preparations? We don't have a lot of time to prepare, you know! The inn is already booked with merchants that are scheduled to start arriving tomorrow, and if we aren't ready then I'll hold you personally responsible!"

There was a laugh from behind her and a mop of orange hair swept by, pulling Nico into a headlock and tousling her hair. "Oh don't be like that, Nico! We're always happy to have guests! Besides, you know Rin always does her share. She's just a little energetic is all."

Nico squawked and slipped out from the newcomer's grasp. "I don't want to hear that from you, Honoka! I blame you for this too. It's your fault for being such an irresponsible role model. Besides, you spoil her! Indulging this kind of behavior when there's work to be done will only make matters worse! It's childish is what it is."

Honoka pulled a face and giggled while Umi shook her head. "Honestly. Neither of you has any right to call anyone else childish."

Honoka laughed harder while Nico fumed. "Umi! You know I was put in charge of the mill! That means the elders have recognized me as responsible. How can you say I'm childish?"

"Maaaaybe because you're still so small," Rin ventured with a grin. Pressing Nico's buttons was always good for a laugh.

Nico's face turned red and for a moment Rin was sure she could see steam coming from her ears.

"W-why you!"

"Come on now, that's enough, all of you." Umi had stood and held her arms up in a placating gesture. "Rin, Honoka, stop teasing her. Nico, if you're as responsible as you claim to be then you can't let them rile you up so easily. They're only doing it because they know it will get a rise out of you."

"Awww you're ruining the fun, Umi!" Honoka crossed her arms and pouted.

"There will be time for fun later, Honoka." Umi fixed the girl with a stern glare and Honoka's smile turned a little more nervous. "Nico is right, we have work we need to be doing. We need to get all of the rice packaged before the festival or we'll have nothing to trade, you know that. There will be plenty of time for your games later. Besides, picking on Nico is just low-hanging fruit."

"Hey!"

"Poor choice of words, Umi!" Rin said with a giggle.

Nico scoffed. "I've had enough of this. We have a lot to get done, and you're only distracting everyone. Why did you come here, anyway? We all have to go into town for lunch anyway, so if you needed to talk to us it's not like it couldn't have waited."

"Huh?" Rin blinked before the purpose of her visit came back to her. "Oh! Right! I saw the Harvest Maiden last night!"

"That's what you said before," Umi said with a frown. "But what on earth are you talking about? What do you mean you saw the Maiden?"

"I mean that she was out in the fields!" Rin was practically vibrating with excitement, recalling the events of the previous evening. "She was dancing out in my field, but when I called out to her she disappeared."

"You actually saw her?" Honoka's eyes were glowing and she hopped over to Rin, taking her hands. "Did she say anything? What did she look like? Ooooh I wish I could have seen her too! The statue in town always makes her look so beautiful, but I've always wanted to know what she really looks like!"

"Eh? Are you serious?" Nico shook her head and Umi frowned. "Honestly. You two are so immature. You'll never get any real responsibilities if you keep going on like this. Really, you're lucky you have Umi and I around to pick up your slack."

Honoka made a face and stuck her tongue out. Nico rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get the words out a large grey bird swooped down from the ceiling, wings flapping wildly, and begat to peck at Nico's head. Nico squawked at the sudden assault and began flailing her arms at the thing, attempting to get away.

"Ah! H-hey get this thing off me. Damned bird! Go away!" she cried, swatting at it to no effect. It dodged each of her strikes, feathers flying while Honoka and Rin howled with laughter.

"That's it, get her, Kotori!" Honoka cheered while the bird nicked one of Nico's red ribbon's in its beak before flying off.

"Why you- get back here! That was a gift!"

Nico chased after Kotori, the bird swooping back between the giant mill with the fiery girl close behind her, cursing her all the while. Honoka gave chase as well, laughing merrily and cheering Kotori on. Rin laughed until tears threatened to spill from her eyes and Umi rubbed her temples with a groan.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with all of you."

"Awww don't be that way, Umi." Rin slung and arm over her shoulder and nuzzled against her cheek. "You're just like the big sister we've always wanted! Besides, I know you like being the responsible one, so what's the problem?"

Umi pulled away, face red, and Rin giggled. Her smile faltered a little when Umi sent her a glare, and she was suddenly struck by the sensation of being a young girl caught nicking snacks.

"Don't give me that, Rin." Umi's voice had taken on a more serious tone and her blush was receding. "You know that curfew is eleven. No one is supposed to be out after that, especially not when you haven't been recognized as an adult yett."

"But Umiiiii," Rin whined, "loads of people don't follow curfew! I'll be an adult next year even! What's the harm?"

Rin yelped when Umi rapped her sharply on the forehead. "Hey! What was that for?" she pouted, rubbing at the spot.

"The harm, Rin, is that you are still recovering! You can't go wandering around at night when just weeks ago you were deathly ill with fever." She gave an exasperated sigh and flipped her ponytail back over her shoulder. "It's getting colder as well, and that can only make things worse. And now you come in here telling us you saw the Harvest Maiden? What am I to think except that you've taken to wandering around the fields hallucinating? In the very best case it was simply a vivid dream."

Her hand was already on Rin's forehead, checking her temperature, but Rin pulled away and puffed out her cheeks. "I wasn't hallucinating, Umi, jeez! I know what I saw, and it was her!"

"Rin, please, will you listen to me?" Umi's voice had softened and Rin felt some of her frustration deflate. It was always hard to stay mad at Umi when she was like this. "All I want is to know that you're getting better, and I can't do that if you're going to go out at night doing who knows what. You could get hurt, and even if you are better walking around at night when we're on the verge of winter is a great way to get sick again."

There was a crash from somewhere behind the mill, followed by shouts and cursing. Umi shook her head and sighed again.

"I need to make sure they don't accidently set fire to the place, but will you please promise me you'll stay inside tonight?" She took Rin's hands and squeezed them. "I'll sleep better knowing you're not out getting yourself sick again."

Rin chewed on her lip and tried to avoid looking Umi in the eyes. But finally she let out a breath and nodded. "Okay okay, I get it. Jeez, Umi. You're too good at that. I don't even know how you do it!"

This time it was Umi's turn to giggle. "That's my secret. Now go on and get to town. If you dawdle too long then you'll get in trouble."

"Alright, I'm gone. See you at lunch, Umi!"

She waved and Umi returned the gesture before dashing off towards the sound of the commotion shouting, "Honestly! It's like all three of you are animals!"

Rin laughed again as she was met by the sounds of Kotori and Honoka squawking and Nico screaming in frustration. Well, with Nico in charge things looked like they would at least be interesting at the mill.

She slipped out the door and began making her way towards the center of town. Nico had been right about her needing to do her part, at least. She didn't want to be any more of a burden than she already had, and there was always loads to do before the festival.

The air was crisp and clean, and only a few clouds marred an otherwise clear sky. She gazed up at the endless expanse of blue that stretched out beyond the treetops, pondering the previous night. It hadn't been a hallucination. She was so _sure_ of that. She knew that there had to be something out there. And she was so certain that it had been the Harvest Maiden. What else could it have been? Why would some nameless spirit have danced in her field?

But Umi's insistence kept tickling at her mind. What if she was right? What if she really _had_ imagined the whole thing? Or dreamt it? Her shoes were where she remembered leaving them after going out, but what if she'd dreamt that too? What if she was getting sick again?

She shook her head and began to move at a light jog. No, it was real, she knew it. And promise or not, she was going to see the Maiden again. She had to.

* * *

"Rin! Can you work on this section? I need to get more nails."

"Sure!"

"I'll grab a few more planks while I'm at it. I think we might need to replace a few once we're done setting up, a couple of them are warped."

"Got it! I'll handle this in the meantime, Eli."

Eli smiled and walked swiftly away from the stage. Rin hopped over to where the blonde had been working and began to hammer away, feeling more full of energy than she had in weeks. Though she hated to admit it, being sick really had taken a lot of of her. On top of that, while constructing the stage for the many performances that would be held during the Harvest Festival was hard work, it was nothing compared to a full morning working the fields, and she always found she had extra energy on days when she wasn't harvesting or otherwise tending the crops.

She rolled her shoulder until it gave a satisfying pop and took a glance around. All around the village square people were setting up stalls and hanging signs, running around with crates full of everything from freshly milled rice to winterwear and handwoven baskets. Everyone was preparing for the festival, and though each person was focused on their own tasks the sense of excitement in the air was palpable. There was a buzzing energy, a spring in each step, a sense of racing against the clock that livened the whole village and kept everyone moving quickly and with purpose.

The Harvest Festival was the only time of year that Kosai village ever got visitors in any great numbers, and everyone always looked forward to it. Rin especially always loved seeing people from beyond her own little world. She had never personally been more than a dozen or so miles from her home, and even then it was only for fishing and wood gathering that she ever really left the village proper.

As children she and Maki had spent a great deal of time wandering the woods beyond the fields, sometimes under the enthusiastic guidance of Honoka and sometimes on their own. Of course, Maki being Maki, Rin had always been the one to suggest those trips. Maki had never shown much enthusiasm for them, but it had often fallen on her to find the way back once Rin's overeager tendency to charge forward through brush and fallen trees had gotten them lost. Still, Maki had hardly ever complained, and she liked to think the redhead had enjoyed the excursions as much as she had.

The memory brought a fond smile to her face. It had been a long time since they'd done anything like that. Once they'd gotten old enough to help work she'd been sent to the fields and Maki had begun her study under Healer Touya. People had always whispered about how lucky Maki was to be selected for such an honor, but to Rin there had never been any doubt. Maki was the most capable person she knew, and if there was going to be anyone that could step up and take Touya's place it would have to be her.

She glanced over her shoulder at the other end of the stage where Maki was busy sanding away at edges of the stage, her beautiful red hair pulled back in a tight ponytail and wrapped up in a bandana. Maki was always busy with something, and her face was always serious. Some people thought that meant that she was against having a good time, but Rin knew her better than anyone. She was just as excited as everyone else for the festival. She just had her own way of showing it.

With a small sigh she turned her attention back to her work, hammering in a string of nails Eli had set. Normally she would have been abuzz with energy, just as eager as everyone else in town, but today her excitement was tempered, a different feeling taking hold of her.

She peeked at the statue of the Harvest Maiden out of the corner of her eye. It looked the same as it always had. Old wood, beautifully carved into the likeness of a stunning young woman in regal dress, cradling the rice that was their livelihood. But somehow today it seemed faded, a pale imitation. It simply couldn't hold a candle to the radiance of the girl she had seen the night before. The girl she knew _had_ to be the Harvest Maiden. It couldn't have been anyone else.

She brought the hammer down again, eyes still trained on the Maiden's softly carved features.

"Yaah!" she cried. The hammer fell to the ground and her thumb was in her mouth in an instant. It throbbed, and she was pretty sure she could taste blood.

Maki was at her side in within moments. "For heaven's sake, what did you do, Rin? No, don't suck on it. Here, let me see it." She knelt down next to her and took hold of her wrist. Rin was reluctant to surrender the digit but opened her mouth and let Maki pull her hand into her lap to get a better look. Rin flinched as Maki's fingers searched and prodded, but she managed not to cry out.

"Sorry, Maki." She gave a bashful grin, trying to hide the embarrassment she felt. "I guess I wasn't paying close enough attention."

Maki fixed her with a searching look. Rin's smile grew brittle and then Maki shook her head and pulled her up. "Come on, let's get this wrapped up. It's bleeding, but I don't think anything is broken, luckily."

Rin followed without complaint and took a seat on the edge of the stage while Maki retrieved her medical kit.

"You bring that thing everywhere, don't you?" she asked while Maki pulled out a roll of bandages and a small bottle of clear liquid.

"Technically speaking, I'm here as the village medic today. I'm supposed to handle any accidents that might come up due to, say, carelessness. I was only helping with the stage because I didn't want to sit idle. Here." She knelt down in front of Rin and uncorked the bottle. "Hold out your hand."

Rin did as she was asked and Maki took a firm hold of her wrist before pouring the contents of the bottle over the gash on her thumb. A stinging, burning sensation pierced her hand and Rin yelped, trying to pull away. Maki's grip was firm however, and held her still.

"W-what the heck, Maki? What is that stuff? It burns like crazy!"

"Hush. This is to make sure it doesn't get infected. A little pain is better than losing the thumb to gangrene, don't you agree?"

Rin gulped. Leave it to Maki to know how to scare her. "Y-yeah, that's a good point. Does it have to hurt so much though? It feels like it's melting my skin!"

"That means it's working." Maki took a cotton swab and dabbed at the wound. Already it looked like it was bruising. "Besides, think of it as a lesson. Maybe next time you'll pay attention when you're swinging that hammer. What were you thinking? You know better than to take your eyes off your tools, Rin."

The pain in her thumb was starting to ease, the burning giving way to an almost pleasant coolness. "Yeah, sorry. I was just… thinking."

Maki quirked an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound like you."

"Oh shush!" Rin stuck her tongue out. "I think plenty!"

Maki's lips curved in a slight smile, but it disappeared almost as suddenly as it had come. "You've been like that all morning, Rin. First you oversleep, then you were late in getting started. And now you're distracted enough to injure yourself? You're usually one of the most coordinated people I know; this isn't like you."

"Is everything alright?" Eli returned carrying a bag of nails, a few planks of wood slung over her shoulder. She set them down as soon as she noticed Maki wrapping up Rin's hand. "Oh my, are you okay, Rin? What happened?"

"She was just being careless," Maki supplied before Rin could answer. "This will be a good lesson in paying attention for her."

The concern was evident on Eli's face and she leaned down to take a look at Rin's hand. "Really? Rin, you have to be more careful! You're still recovering, you know. If we're overworking you, please tell me."

"It's nothing, really. I'm fine." Rin sagged slightly. When would people stop treating her like she was going to keel over at any moment?

"Are you sure? I'm sure we can arrange for you to take the day off if you need to lie down." Eli stood back up and tapped her chin. "Maki and I can finish the stage if you need-"

"I said I'm fine!" Rin snapped.

As soon as the words were out of her mouth she regretted them. Eli blinked, clearly taken aback, and Maki sent her a sharp look.

"Oh. Well, if you're sure. Just be sure to take care of yourself." She picked the wooden planks back up, hefting them onto her shoulder. "I'll just go finish up then. Feel free to join me when you're done."

She walked away and Rin wilted under the force of Maki's glare. "Are you going to tell me what that was all about? Eli was only worried about you. You didn't need to snap at her."

"I know." Rin rubbed her head. Eli was always super sweet, probably the kindest person she knew, and she felt terrible for being so short with her. "It's just… everyone keeps treating me like I'm suddenly going to pass out. Like I'm some fragile little girl that can't take care of herself. I hate it."

Maki's expression softened slightly and she went back to wrapping Rin's hand. "Look," she began, lacing the bandage between Rin's fingers, "I know you don't like having people worry about you. I looked after you for nearly the whole time you were sick and you made it very clear that you didn't like the fact that other people were working harder because you weren't there."

"They shouldn't have to pick up my slack," Rin muttered. "I just hate the idea of being a burden."

"Oh would you stop that?" Maki gave her a slap on the knee and Rin jumped. "You're not a burden, you know that. Believe it or not, everyone was happy to pick up the extra work if it meant you got the rest you needed. No one here thinks of you as lazy - we all know that you would have been out in the fields yourself if you'd been able."

Rin stayed silent and Maki sighed. "Listen. We've been friends for years, right?"

"Yeah…?"

"And when have I lied to you?"

Rin though back. She honestly couldn't think of a single instance where Maki had lied to her. At least, not that she'd found out. Brutal honesty was sort of her thing. "Never, really."

"Right. So you can believe me when I tell you that I, and everyone else, just want to make sure you don't get sick again." She pulled the bandage tight and tied it off before standing and packing away the rest of her supplies. "We care about you, Rin. We just want to make sure you're well."

Rin stared up at her friend for several long moments and Maki held her gaze, not so much as blinking. Finally Rin felt a tension ease out of her and she smiled. It still bugged her that everyone thought she needed to be treated as some fragile thing, but Maki had helped put it in perspective. After all, how would _she_ have felt if Maki had been the one that had gotten sick? She probably would have tied her to the bed and made sure she didn't so much as chew her own food until she was without a shadow of a doubt out of danger.

"Thanks, Maki. And sorry. You're right." She giggled. "Just like always!"

"Are you sure there's nothing else bothering you?" Maki asked. "You've been distant all morning, and now with your thumb…"

Rin shook her head. "Nope! I've just been a little distracted. You know how I get when the festival comes!"

There was no point in telling her about the Harvest Maiden. She trusted Maki implicitly, but she was very much the kind of person that only believed things she saw with her own two eyes. Rin was certain she believed in the Maiden too - how could she not? They owed everything to her, after all - but after the reaction she got back at the mill, she had a feeling she would only make Maki worry more. The thought hurt, but she suppressed the feeling.

"That's certainly true." Maki finally smiled. "You'd better apologize to Eli though. I don't think she knows why you reacted the way you did. She deserves an explanation too."

"Yeah, you're right." Rin stood up and clenched her bandaged hand into a fist a few times, forcing her thoughts to the present. It still hurt, but already it felt better. "Thanks for taking care of me!"

"Honestly, it's nearly a full time job. I feel like I should be charging you."

"Nope!" Rin pulled her into a one-armed hug. "It's special friend service! But to make it up to you, how about I give you a massage tonight?"

Maki rolled her eyes. "I think I'll pass."

"Oooooh?" Rin's grin spread wider and she dropped her voice to a whisper. "Maybe you'd like it better if I asked _Nicooo_ to give you one?"

Maki's face turned an almost alarming shade of red and Rin laughed as her friend pulled away, sputtering, "W-w-what are you going o-on about? As if I would w-want something like that!"

"That's not very convincing, Maki!" Rin laughed and danced away from Maki's attempt to swat her head. "Hey! No hitting your patients!"

"If you keep spreading that around then you'll be needing more than a healer by the time I finish with you," Maki grumbled, face still red.

"Ooh, Maki is scary. I better go apologize to Eli!" She skipped off, Maki still glowering at her.

She did a twirl and waved back at her friend, receiving an eye roll and a shake of the head. Rin couldn't help but laugh. Teasing Maki had gotten so much easier lately now that she'd been seeking off to see Nico a couple times a week. She probably didn't think it was as obvious as it was, but Rin knew. Heck, everyone probably knew, given the way those two acted around each other.

Her eyes caught the statue again and she stopped spinning, her smile slipping a bit. A dull ache throbbed in her chest and she stared up at her face. She looked so peaceful, but it was nothing compared to the serenity of her expression the night before. The grace and beauty she had seen, like an angel come to earth, had been almost hypnotizing.

But even that, even that pale beauty was pushed aside by another image, one that had stuck with her until she had fallen asleep - that of the Maiden's wide, clear eyes, the surprise on her face when she'd noticed Rin watching. In that moment, she had looked not like an angel, but as mortal as her. Somehow, that brought an even greater sense of awe and Rin couldn't help but ache for the chance to see it again.

She tore her eyes away and jogged back to the end of the stage, waving and calling out to Eli, her mind made up. Tonight, she was going to look for her again, and this time she would convince her not to run. How, she wasn't sure, but she'd manage.

Maki always said she was good at improvisation, after all.

* * *

That night, long after the festival preparations had begun to wind down, after everyone had bathed and eaten and was supposed to be asleep, Rin once again crept from her bed, pulled on her shoes, and slipped silently out the door and into the cold night air. The moon was bright and beautiful and she moved quickly, with purpose, towards the mill.

' _Sorry, Umi. I didn't want to lie to you, but I have to see if she's there again.'_

She'd laid in bed for hours, listening to Maki's gentle breathing and hoping that maybe sleep would take her after all and she wouldn't have to break her promise. But it hadn't. Though her body was tired from the long day hammering and sawing, her mind wouldn't allow sleep. Every time she closed her eyes she saw the Maiden's surprised face in the moment before she vanished, and she knew she wouldn't sleep until she had at least looked for her again.

Gravel crunched beneath her boots and she pulled her coat tightly around herself. Her breath misted silver in the moonlight and cold nipped at her cheeks, but her heart was beating quickly. She took a few breaths, coughing into her elbow. Umi was right - she probably shouldn't have been out here. But there was no use turning back now, not before she knew for sure.

In a way, the cold was comforting. The bite kept her alert, reminding her that she really was awake. Though she didn't really want to admit it, part of the reason she'd been unable to sleep was the gnawing fear that Umi had been right. What if she really _had_ been seeing things? It had felt so real, and she'd been so sure of what she'd seen, but Umi's words had planted the seed of doubt in her. That was why she had to see her again, had to know if she was real or just a figment of her imagination. If she didn't see anything tonight, then she'd go apologize to Umi, and maybe take Eli up on the offer of another day of bedrest.

Not a single cloud marred the dark blanket of sky that stretched from treetop to treetop, a vast, dark canvas filled with a million pinpricks of light. Rin found herself staring up at them with wonder as she walked.

Her feet led her down the familiar path until the mill came into view. She paused, watching. She honestly had no idea if the Maiden would appear in the same way twice, or if she had scared her off. Maybe she only came once a year, or once every ten. Heck, maybe that was the first and only time she had ever visited. Famous as she was, the Maiden had never been seen before as far as Rin knew. Not in her lifetime, at least. There were old stories of villagers that received her blessing, but nothing so recent as to be more than folklore.

She slipped off the path - the last thing she wanted was to scare her off again if and when she actually did show up - and began to creep along the path towards the field, never taking her eyes off the mill. This time she moved back towards the woods, until finally she slipped into the treeline and crouched on the forest floor amongst the dead, damp leaves. The mill was hard to see at this distance, and in the back of her mind she recalled Umi's countless warnings of the dangers of the forest, but she stayed put. Her entire being was focused on seeing the Maiden again.

For a long time she crouched, hidden behind a large tree, keeping her eyes trained on the distant mill. She had no idea how long she hid there, the only sign of the passage of time the slow circuit of the moon across the sky and the ever growing numbness in her legs. She slapped them in an effort to keep the blood flowing, but only succeeded in spreading the pins and needles feeling down to her feet.

The chill was just starting to set in when a familiar glow began to emanate from the mill. Rin gasped before she could stop herself, the sudden change breaking her out of her passive waiting and sending adrenaline racing through her veins. She clapped a hand over her mouth just as the Maiden slipped through the door - passed right _through_ it, in fact - and began to glide towards the field.

Even at a distance the sight of her took Rin's breath away. Just as graceful, just as beautiful as the night before. No, even more so now that Rin knew that the radiance was her own and not a product of the moon. Eli and Maki had always been the people Rin thought of when thinking of elegance and poise, both possessing an almost preternatural ease of motion, but both of them paled in comparison to the girl practically gliding towards the field. Looking at her now, at the way she moved with steps that barely seemed to touch the ground, Rin wondered how she ever could have mistaken her for something as mundane as human. She was more, far more than that, though words failed her beyond that point and all she could do was stare.

But as she drew closer and Rin was able to make out her face she noticed there was something different about her tonight, something that seemed off, somehow. She moved with the same graceful steps as she had before, but something in the way she held herself was different.

It wasn't until she stopped in the center of the field that Rin was able to put her finger on just what it was. The first time she'd seen her, the Maiden had been wearing a serene smile on her face, an expression of utmost calm and composure. Tonight though, she seemed almost anxious. Her smile was gone and instead of dancing she was glancing around, as though searching.

Rin frowned. That wasn't right. She had only seen the Maiden once, but the expression she now wore unsettled her somehow. It was as if something in the natural order of things had been changed, like she had woken up to see that the sky had turned green. It made her stomach twist, and she wanted nothing more than to ask her what was wrong, but she held her tongue. Even with the ethereal glow the Maiden looked so much more… human, like this.

Rin stared, head peeking out ever so slightly from behind her tree. The maiden's eyes scanned across the road and the fields, and then began to move across the trees. Rin felt her heart beating faster as she realized what was going on; the Maiden was searching for someone, searching for _her._ For whatever reason, she didn't want to be observed, and she was looking for the person that had interrupted her the night before.

The thought almost made her duck back behind the tree, but she didn't dare move. She was hidden in the darkness, so there was a chance the Maiden wouldn't see her. If she moved, she would only be drawing more attention to herself. All she could do was pray that the spirit didn't notice her.

Slowly, the Maiden's eyes moved over the treeline, her gaze drawing ever closer to Rin's hiding place. Her heart pounded so hard that she feared the Maiden might be able to hear it. Rin held her breath, praying that she would go unnoticed. Those beautiful amethyst eyes drew ever closer until at last she was looking right at her - and then passed right by.

For a moment Rin could hardly believe her luck. The Maiden had been looking right at her, and then had passed without so much as pausing.

She closed her eyes and let out the breath she'd been holding, willing her heart to stop pounding. That had been too close. She wasn't _scared_ , not really. But now that she was here again, the thought of the Maiden disappearing made her feel sick. She wanted to watch her, even if for just a little while longer.

When she opened her eyes again though, she nearly jumped. The Maiden had stopped scanning the forest and was instead staring straight at her. The surprise she had seen on her face yesterday was gone, replaced by an expression Rin couldn't quite read. Her breath caught in her throat and she nearly choked.

' _She knows I'm here!'_ Rin realized with a start. The realization was followed by a surge of panic, not fear of her discovery but fear that the Maiden would flee once again.

As if in answer to her thought the glow faded and in an instant the Maiden was gone, vanished into the night air just as surely as she had the first time Rin had seen her.

"No no not again!" Rin cried, bursting from the treeline into the field. She already knew it was hopeless though. She didn't need to rush to the spot the Maiden had stood to know that there would be no sign of her. She had vanished like mist in the morning light.

"Aaaaagh! Dammit!" She stamped her feet on the ground, not caring that she looked like a child throwing a tantrum. "That's not fair!"

She let out another shout, screaming towards the uncaring moon until she was out of breath and panting. She hung her head, fighting back tears. This wasn't fair! All she'd wanted was to see her dance again. Was that too much to ask? Sure, it was nice to know that she wasn't hallucinating, but once she'd caught sight of the Maiden again she'd stopped caring about any of that, having only wanted to see her graceful movements once again.

Rin wiped at her eyes. This was so stupid. She didn't even know what she was getting all emotional over. It wasn't as though she had any personal stake in seeing the Maiden. Once she'd satisfied her initial curiosity, it shouldn't have mattered, right?

But it did. For some reason she couldn't explain, the Maiden's sudden disappearance had caused her to ache. It felt as though she'd lost something precious, something she hadn't even known she had, and she desperately wanted it back.

"Maybe Nico was right," she grumbled with a shake of her head. "Maybe I am still just a kid."

With a heavy sigh she wiped the last of her unshed tears away and turned back towards the village-

-only to nearly walk into the Harvest Maiden.

"Uwah!"

She windmilled her arms and hopped backwards, tripping over the lumpy ground and landing on her rear in the dirt.

The Maiden was standing mere feet from her, looking down at her not with anger or fear, but with what Rin could only describe as curiosity. The glow had dissipated but not disappeared entirely, and Rin stared at her for several moments before she realized she needed to say something.

Heart in her throat, she said the only thing she could think to in this situation.

"U-u-um… hi?"

* * *

A/N: Well I had intended this to be out a lot earlier, but you know how things are. It may not be seasonally appropriate anymore, but it still feels sort of like Fall where I am, so I'm counting it. I spent all of last month writing a monstrosity that will never see the light of day, so there's that. This is more fun though, so I was happy to get back to it.

Had the chance to expand the cast a little bit and we'll get to see more of Hanayo! Yay! I'm trying to make sure I keep everyone in character while also making them appropriate to the setting, so let me know how you think I did.

I would love to hear from any of you that read this. I always like getting reviews, if for no other reason then it means I get the chance to improve my writing. So read and review, and thanks to all of you!


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